World Athletics regulations prohibit athletes under 16 from participating in the world championships. For javelin, combined events, the 10,000m, marathon, and race walking, the minimum age is 18.

This means that despite her exceptional talent and top-three world ranking, Yan, born in 2008, will have to wait another year to be eligible.

Ziyi Yan competes in the women's javelin throw final at the Yangtze River Delta Athletics Diamond Gala in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, eastern China, on 3/5/2025. Photo: Xinhua

Two other teenage athletes will be competing in other events at the 2025 World Athletics Championships: Australian sprinter Gout Gout (17) and American sprinter Lutkenhaus (16).

Gout Gout, likened to Usain Bolt, broke the Australian 200m record in her first international professional competition at the Ostrava Golden Spike in June. Lutkenhaus recently made waves in American athletics, finishing second in the men's 800m final at the US Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a time of 1 minute 42.27 seconds.

These stringent athletics regulations contrast with other sports. At the World Aquatics Championships held in Singapore in July, 12-year-old Chinese prodigy Yu Zidi made a splash by winning a bronze medal in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay.

According to the Spanish newspaper Marca, Yan's exclusion from the world championships has reignited the debate about age limits in elite sports.

Many argue that limits are necessary to protect athletes' long-term health, especially in physically and technically demanding disciplines like javelin and marathon. Conversely, others believe exceptional talents like Yan deserve the opportunity to shine, rather than being held back by rigid barriers.

Yan Ziyi, 15, set a world U20 record in the women's javelin final with a throw of 64.28m at the second China National Athletics Grand Prix on 14/4/2024.

Yan, born on 22/5/2008, is currently China's brightest javelin prospect. She rose to prominence in 2024, consistently exceeding 60m and winning the national championship in Tianjin with a throw of 61.31m. In April of the same year, she set a world U20 record of 64.28m at the China Athletics GP, breaking the previous mark set in 2015. However, she was still ineligible for the 2024 Paris Olympics due to World Athletics regulations. In August 2024, Yan further demonstrated her exceptional talent by winning gold at the World U20 Championships in Lima, Peru.

In 2025, she continued her ascent, breaking the world U20 record three times, most recently with a throw of 65.89m, a result that placed her third in the world this season. Yan also competed in the Diamond League in Shanghai in May, finishing fifth with 60.54m, before winning the Continental Tour Gold event in Beijing. These achievements demonstrate that the young Chinese star is fully capable of competing at the highest level if not restricted by age.

Yan Ziyi (center) wins gold at the World U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, in August 2024. Photo: World Athletics

The 2025 World Athletics Championships will take place from 13 to 21/9 at Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. The event features 49 events, including track and field, combined events, marathon, and race walking. This makes it a crucial rehearsal for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Hong Duy (from Marca)